About

Reader in Education Studies & Director of Postgraduate Research

School of Education, Learning and Communication Sciences

University of Warwick

Dr Thomas Perry is a social scientist of education whose work examines how knowledge, evidence and expertise are generated, mobilised and governed across schools and higher education systems. He studies the relationships between research, policy and professional practice, including how institutions respond to organisational, technological and policy change. His research combines quantitative, mixed methods and theory-based evaluation to address complex questions about institutional capacity, professional learning and system reform. He is Reader in Education Studies and Director of Postgraduate Research in the School of Education, Learning and Communication Sciences at the University of Warwick.

Research Interests:

• Knowledge, Evidence and Expertise in Education Systems – How education systems organise expertise, professional judgement, data and technology, including the generation and use of research across schools and higher education in contexts of policy, organisational and digital change.
• Research–Policy–Practice Interfaces – The translation, interpretation and enactment of research within policy and professional settings; partnerships, implementation, evaluation and system reform.
• Applied Social Science Methodology – Advanced quantitative methods, mixed methods research, systematic review and theory-based evaluation for policy-relevant and real-world problems.
• Equity, Effectiveness and Institutional Development – Educational inequalities, workforce development, leadership, accountability and structural reform across school and higher education sectors.

Tom’s work combines methodological expertise with system-level analysis, examining how institutions generate, interpret and apply knowledge in practice. He has specialist expertise in systematic review, advanced quantitative methods, mixed methods research and theory-based evaluation, and has advised governments, funders and education organisations on research design, evidence use and policy development. Empirically, his research spans schools and higher education, addressing institutional reform, professional learning, leadership, workforce development and educational inequalities. His work is widely cited and has informed national debate, including coverage in The Times Educational Supplement, Schools Week and BBC Radio 4.